Is Las Vegas the Most Overrated City Ever?

[icecream]

TV shows love to glamorize Las Vegas, showing all the gambling addicts and idiots ready to lose most of their money to the fat cat casino bosses who like taking advantage of visitors. And some of these gambling fans are otherwise sane people, just not in Vegas. While I have heard they have good buffets, good restaurants would be plentiful in numerous major cities without the builtin pressure to gamble. Unless you are someone with an uncanny knack for doing well betting (both in his sports career and Jeopardy!) like James Holzhauer, eventually you will just end up losing big to the casino bosses in their rigged system. On another side, AGT brags about a Vegas headline show being the best prize ever. I didn't start watching it until Simon came, but from what I have heard they trimmed that prize from several weeks to one measly weekend. The million dollars is more of a prize for the AGT winner. Having said all of that, I do like Elvis' Viva Las Vegas song.

[LUNCH]

I have never been to Las Vegas, however I of course have seen it many times in movies and TV. Las Vegas was so much nicer looking 40+ years ago compared to these days. The whole place turned into a big unsightly almost sterile place with those newer ugly giant hotels and so on. They ruined the place in my opinion. It has no charm anymore. Unfortunately a lot of other places also have gone downhill and are not what they used to be.

[RetroGuy2000]

I'd say Vegas is not as awesome as Orlando, Hollywood, or the SF Bay Area, but I've always enjoyed my times there. (I've actually never even been to downtown Vegas; only the Strip). Vegas is what you make of it, and if you want adventures and fun things to do, you can find them.

I have been to Last Vegas six times: in 2008, 2010, 2012, and then again in 2015, 2017, and 2019. The first three times were for business trips. The last three times were just extended layovers at the airport casino, waiting for a connecting flight.

There are some great things about Las Vegas, including some cool shows. For TV fans, there have always been some cool attractions. I remember for many years there was the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton. You could get beamed up, meet with celebrities from Star Trek, and even buy gold-pressed latinum (really candy bars in gold foil). Marina Sirtis (Troi) is a hoot.

The MGM Grand has (or had?) TV Pilot season, where over the summer months, you could watch a TV pilot for several different series, take their questionnaires, and rate them with a joystick. I got to watch several series (including Hawaii 5-0) before the shows were aired, so I could recommend fall shows to friends over the summer. That was fun!

My dad was a huge fan of CSI: Las Vegas, which was partially filmed there each season, and so I was able to snap some photos of the production during one production, there. I also was able to get T-shirts and "syringe" pens.

Circus Circus has the free circus acts, and it's my understanding that resort will remain open for a while longer. They also have that cool magic shop and the games on one of the upper levels. And of course there's the Big Apple roller coaster at New York New York, for those who like thrill rides.

One of the best parts of Vegas, for me, is that I usually play slots, and have always won more money than what I put into the machines. There's a Wild Cherry slot machine at Bally's that I have always won at. Also, the airport slot machines have always paid for my entire trip, during the flight layovers (since I fly Southwest, I only need to win around $300 to pay for the flight and hotel).

The forum shops at Caesar's Palace are beautiful and unbelievable. I'm not a shopper, but I absolutely loved walking around the upper floors, just looking at the beautiful faux Roman architecture and arches. And the Planet Hollywood restaurant at the forums has these amazing beer-battered fries. Mmmm!

One of the major drawbacks to Las Vegas is the heat. My organization would always send us to work conventions during the summer, and even at 8 AM, the outdoors were unbearable. Not a fan of that!

Another drawback are those guys flicking the porno tickets in your face, everywhere on the streets at night. And the saddest "Elmo" I've ever seen was a guy in a soiled Elmo costume sitting on a piece of cardboard on the street outside of the Luxor: the huge contrast between this bedraggled beggar in a dirty Elmo costume and the ultra-rich, swanky hotels around him really shocked me to my core. Like, I couldn't help but think "what a world we live in."

[Bonniegirl]

I'm not a gambler , so I can take or leave Vegas for that reason ! Being I live in LA , it is an inexpensive place to go if you want a weekend away or something ! Less than an hour by plane, 4 to 5 hour drive ! So for that reason to me Vegas is cool! But as I said being I'm not a gambler , I doubt if I didn't live so close I would really ever care to go there!

And yes, it has lost it's luster, it's not all the glitz and glamour of the old days! IMO , it's not a big deal there at all !

[opus]

Las Vegas is the only city you have a realistic chance to smack down Wayne Newton.

[Hawkee]

Just like children love to visit Walt Disney World and Disneyland Las Vegas has the same effect on adults why may you ask?
A. The chance to have fun gambling
B. Lots of shows with big name celebrity talent such as Penn And Teller and Wayne Newton
C. Lots of impressive casinos
D. A perfect place for newlyweds to have their first honeymoon
E. All of the above
Now if you answered E you are correct because it's no secret that Las Vegas is a top vacation spot for people because just like a child experiencing their very first Disney vacation lots of people like to spend their very first vacation in Las Vegas just to say "I've been there and I just enjoyed the casinos" But for many people Las Vegas is like visiting an amusement park that never closes and you'll never ever get bored of it. Besides gambling and trying their hand at casino games and seeing shows people also love to eat at the casinos which have impressive buffets and some of them have great food like prime rib seafood pasta pizza even Chinese food and Mexican food and even though some of the buffets are expensive in Vegas you could spend your whole lunch hour trying out the different foods the buffets offer and it's fun for people to do. But when you return from Las Vegas you can leave with a ton of memories of your trip and to keep your casino skills from being rusty get out your Nintendo Gameboy Advance or Nintendo DS and play a game of World Poker Tour or any other casino games to keep practicing for your next trip. But it's no secret that some TV shows and movies and of course game shows are filmed in Las Vegas because it's simply a cool spot
Bestie

[Penny Lane]

I have never been there and never had the desire to go. I have never even been to a casino.

[OH Nuts!]

I’m not a gambler but could get into seeing the sights. I’d be up to visiting once, but it’s not at the top of my list. The first place I want to go when COVID’s over is Pittsburgh to see relatives.

So.....do I think it’s the most overrated city? Yes, if you’re not a gambler. But if you are, it’s Mecca!

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

I have never been there and never had the desire to go. I have never even been to a casino.

You aren't missing much ! Like I said in my post, I only go there cause it's a short, cheap trip for me and it is always another person that talks me into going anyway ! I would never go there if I lived far away !

[Theda Bara]

Las Vegas is not too far away from where I live in Southern California; an hour flight and about a four-hour car trip; it is a perfect weekend getaway for people that live in my area.

I think Vegas is a fun place to visit, it offers more than just a place to gamble. Las Vegas is also well-known for its entertainment: concerts, shows, etc.

A good friend of mine is moving to Vegas next spring and I am helping him move into his new place, so I will have the opportunity to judge if I think this city is "overrated" or not.

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by Theda Bara

Las Vegas is not too far away from where I live in Southern California; an hour flight and about a four-hour car trip; it is a perfect weekend getaway for people that live in my area.

I think Vegas is a fun place to visit, it offers more than just a place to gamble. Las Vegas is also well-known for its entertainment: concerts, shows, etc.

A good friend of mine is moving to Vegas next spring and I am helping him move into his new place, so I will have the opportunity to judge if I think this city is "overrated" or not.

I'm not too into Vegas type stage shows and crowds and all that so even that isn't a plus for me ! When I was younger , maybe going with a group of girlfriends meeting guys and all it would be fun , but even than I was always thinking we could have just stayed in LA , there is just as many bars, clubs and restaurants that we don't really need to leave town !

Now being younger going on a trip to a tropical place, laying on the beach and going out later to party is more my speed than being in stuffy , claustrophobic casinos and seeing corny stage shows !

[opus]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Now being younger going on a trip to a tropical place, laying on the beach and going out later to party is more my speed

I hear good things about Cleveland.....

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by opus

I hear good things about Cleveland.....

Sure, I could sunbathe on the banks of Lake Erie !

[AMackII]

No, I think the Showgirls are one of the best things about Las Vegas

[JamesG]

I've always wanted to go back. I went once in 1995 when I was 10 so I didn't really get to "experience" Vegas as a child. I remember that we stayed at the Luxor and I loved it since I was really into Ancient Egypt as a kid (still am).

I've heard that its since been taken down, but there used to be an indoor boat ride (The Nile River Guide) that took guests around the huge lobby and went through tunnels showing exhibits. Shame this is gone and my parents have home video footage of this ride somewhere...

They also had a replica of King Tut's tomb where guests listened to a tour guide on cassette walkmans. I read online that the Luxor got rid of this exhibit in 2008 and donated it to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.